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US Foundation Trends: Environmental and

Climate Change Philanthropy

Kristin LindseyExecutive Vice President and Chief Operating OfficerCouncil on FoundationsJune 1, 2008

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US Foundations

72,000 + Foundations

Total Value of Assets in 2007 $670 billion

Total Grants ≈ $43 billion

9% (3.8bn) international giving

1,382 new foundations in 2006

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Environmental Funding by

US Foundations• About $1.15 billion went to the environment

and animals

• Only 0.8% ($137.5 million) going towards climate

Sources: The Foundation Center, Foundation Giving Trends, 2008; and Environmental Grantmakers Association,

Intersections: Confronting the Climate Challenge

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Foundation Environmental Giving- Latest Trends

Giving for Environment in Animals grew 9.7% annually between 2003 and 2006

Giving for Environment and Animals rose 10% in 2006: A record $1.1 billion was given that year

Source: The Foundation Center, Foundation Giving Trends, 2008

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Major Climate Funders-2006

William and Flora Hewlett Foundation Energy Foundation Pew Charitable Trust Rockefeller Brothers Fund Nathan Cummings Foundation Rockefeller Foundation

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The numbers are misleading.

What’s included in climate change?

An expanded view of climate change funding• $577M in the Gulf Coast and Indian Ocean• Using a climate change “lens” in other

funding areas

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The numbers are misleading.

What’s included in philanthropy?

Clinton Foundation• Green buildings, online information network, C40

initiative, energy purchasing consortium, 1Sky, Clinton Global Intiative

Google.org• Alternative energy, hybrid electric vehicles

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How US funders are doing this work

Rockefeller Foundation (rockfound.org)• $70M new initiative focused on climate change

resilience

Rockefeller Brothers Fund (rbf.org)• Cross programmatic initiative around energy• Sustainable development – environmental stewardship

Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (ddcf.org)• $100M climate change initiative focused on GHG

policy change, clean energy technology and adaptation strategies

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How US funders are doing this work

Design to Win (see: hewlett.org)• Prioritizes: power, industry, buildings, transportation, forestry

and carbon policy• $600M a year (the need)

Energy Foundation (ef.org)• Focus on US and China• Renewable energy, code/appliance policy in buildings,

transportation, build momentum for federal policy

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How US funders are doing this work

Global Green Grants Fund (greengrants.org) • $3 million a year, typically $2,000 - $5,000• Strengthen the grassroots environmental movement

worldwide

Pew Charitable Trusts (pewtrusts.org)• Leading policy and research institute

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Collaborative Platforms Environmental Grantmakers Association

(ega.org) European Foundation Centre (efc.be) Funders Network for Smart Growth &

Sustainable Communities (fundersnetwork.org) Climate Change Philanthropy Action Network

(ccpan.org) Design to Win & Energy Foundations

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Four Ideas Environmental Lens

• Capital projects, youth environmental stewardship, green jobs initiative

Use all the assets. • How to deploy the other $627 Billion

Green buildings • How green is your workplace?• Kresge Foundation (kresge.org)

Immediate urgency + long term commitment